Variable temperature fresh air or other gas supply units



F IG I INVENTOR, ANDREW Cl/AlO/(A ATTORNEY A. CHALOKA VARIABLETEMPERATURE FRESH AIR OR OTHER GAS SUPPLY UNITS 5 Sheets-Sheet l March7,. 1967 Filed Maron 51, 1964 Mrch 7, 1967 A. CHALOKA I 3,307,578

VARIABLE TEMPERATURE FRESH AIR OR OTHER GAS SUPPLY UNITS FIGA- March 7,1967 A. CHALOKA 3,307,578

VARIABLE TEMPERATURE FRESH AIR OR OTHER GAS SUPPLY UNITS Filed Marcha.1.964 v 5 sheets-sheet United States Patent O 3,307,578 VARIABLETEMPERATURE FRESH AIR R OTHER GAS SUPPLY UNITS Andrew Chaloka, Clark,NJ., assignor to L. J. Wing Mfg.

C0., Division of Aero-Flow Dynamics, Inc., Linden,

NJ., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 356,315Claims. (Cl. 137-601) This invention relates to Variable temperaturefresh air or other gas supply units.

One object of this invention is to improve the Gas Supply Unit disclosedin United States Patent No. 3,107,- 724 issued Oct. 22, 1963.

In the past, difficulty was experienced with units disclosed in saidPatent 3,107,724 because units set up in the field were not beingadjusted properly, thus resulting in poor performance.

These units consist of finned tube heat section and a bypass section.The required temperature on the outlet side is controlled by modulatingthe amount of inlet air through the heat and by-pass sections. This isaccomplished by the opening and closing of an inverted V type damperwhich modulates the amount of incoming cold and hot air to thetemperature desired. All the dampers are fastened to rotating shaftswhich are all connected to cranks and tie bars which are all connectedto the main drive shaft. The turning rof this drive shaft is limited toa predetermined rotational travel. If this travel is exceeded, apermanent damage is caused to the damper contour, which is so veryimportant to the closure of the heat and by-pass sections. This meantthe rebending of -the damper blades back to their original contour,which can only be done by a qualied service man.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide highlyimproved means embodying the invention to 5- limit the rotation of thedrive shaft to a predetermined angle.

In accordance with this invention, the drive shaft extends the fulllength of the unit to give it good bearing stability. No dampers areattached to said drive shaft except for one drive crank which is Weldedto it. This drive crank is connected the control bars which drive allthe damper rods. The precise limitation of the angular movement of thedrive shaft, in accordance with the present invention, is accomplishedby means, acting on this drive crank, and properly adjustable to limitrotary movement of the drive shaft in either direction to the pre-set,desired angular positions/thus preventing any over-travel, and hencepreventing damage to the dampers.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong and durableunit-of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to ad- -vjust, positive in action, and practical andefficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of pairs, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which thescope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown an illustrativeembodiment of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a top View of a fresh air or other gas supply unit;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational vieW of said unit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the drive rod and drive 3,307,578 PatentedMar. 7, 1967 ICC crank and the stops therefor, embodying the invention,

and;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5, andshowing the drive crank in full lines in one end position, and indot-dash lines, in another position.

Refering now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a fresh air supplyunit embodying the invention. This unit may generally be constructedsimilarly to the gas supply unit disclosed in said Patent No. 3,107,724,except that fewer heat treated and by-pass passages are employed, andalso except for other differences which will appear from the descriptionhereinbelow and in the drawmgs.

Said unit 10 comprises a generally rectangular casing 11 having a frontwall 12, a rear wall 13, and side Walls, 14 and 15. Attached to walls12, 13 by brackets 12a, 13a, respectively, is a by-pass member 16dividing the casing into a central by-pass passage 18 and side heated orheat treated passages 19 Air may flow down through said passages.

The heated passages may be heated by means of steam or other iluidheating media passing through an inlet pipe 22, through a plurality ofU-shaped pipes 23 and through an loutlet pipe 24. Pipes 23 are locatedin the heated passages 19.

It will be observed that cooling fluid may replace the heating iluid,whereby the passages 19 are cooled. In any event said passages 19 areheat treated passages. Also any suitable gas other than air may passdown through the casing.

Supported at the upper end of the casing and at side walls 12 and 13 aretransverse horizontal bearing strip members 25, 26, in which arejournalled pairs of horizontal, aligned, opposed damper rods 28, 29, 30,31. End

dampers 28a, 31a are attached to rods 28, 31, respectively, `projectingdown into the heat treated passages 19.

Inverted V-shaped dampers 29a, 30a are attached to said rods 29, 30,respectively. Each of dampers 29a, 30a has a damper wing projecting downinto a heat treated passage 19, and a wing projecting down into theby-pass passage 18.

Fixed to rod 31 at the front wall 12 and located in front of said frontwall, is a crank 31b projecting upwardly. Fixed to rod 29, is anupwardly projecting crank 29b in the plane'of crank 3117. A horizontalcontrol bar 34 is pivoted to cranks 3117, 29b, as at 31C, 29e,respectively.

A crank 30b is fixed to rod 30 at the front wall 12 and located in frontof said front wall, and projecting downwardly therefrom, is a crank 30b,Fixed to the rod 28, on the front wall 12, and located in front of saidfront wall, is a crank 28b. A control bar 36 is pivoted to the lowerends of cranks 28b, 30b, as at 28C, 30e. When cranks 29b, 31b arestraight up, cranks 28b, 30b are inclined down to the right at about 45.A connecting bar 38 is pivotally connected to pivots 28C and 31C. Fillerstrips 40, 41 attached to walls 14, 15, respectively, close the spacesbetween dampers 28a and 31a and walls 14 and 15, respectively.

Means is provided to move the dampers. To this end a drive rod 50 isjournalled in the bearing strips 25, 26, and passes through the walls12, 13. This drive rod may be rotated in opposite directions by anysuitable electric or air motor, through suitable linkages andconnections, not shown. Welded =or otherwise fixed to said rod 50, is acrank 51 having an upwardly extending arm 52 parallel to cranks 29h,31b. Said crank 51 is pivoted at its upper end, to control bar 34, as at53.

The by-pass passage 16 comprises vertical walls 16a, 16b parallel towalls 12 and 13, respectively, and interconnected by vertical walls 16eand well spaced from Walls 14, 15.

Welded to an upper portion of wall 16a which overlies the bearing strip25, is a bracket 60. Bracket 60 cornprises a vertical rectangular plate61 having a top edge 61a, a bottom edge 61b, and side vertical edges61C, 61d. Said plate is formed with a through opening 62 through whichdrive shaft 50 passes. Opening 62 is located somewhat cl-oser to edge61d than to edge 61C, and somewhat closer to edge 61a than to edge 61b.Fixed to the inner vside of said plate, as by welding thereto, is anangular lug 63 comprising an arm 63a inclined upwardly and to- Ward wall14 at 45 to the horizontal, and terminating at edge 61e, and a secondintegral arm 63b projecting downwardly and terminating at lower edge61b.

Arm 63a is formed with a screw threaded opening 64 inclined 45 upwardlyand toward wall l5. Arm 63b is formed with a horizontal threaded opening65.

Screwed to opening 64 is a set-screw 66 projecting therethrough. A locknut 67 is screwed onto screw 66 and contacts the underside of arm 63a.

A set-screw 68 is screwed through opening 65 and a lock nut 69 isscrewed thereon to contact arm 63.

The axes of threaded openings 64, 65 are in a common vertical plane ofcrank arm 52.

Crank 51 has a downwardly projecting arm 70 in the plane of arm 52 andhaving a vertical edge 70a, when the crank is in vertical position, andsaid edge is adapted to be contacted by the set-screw 68 in suchposition, when drive rod 50 is rotated in a clockwise direction, lookingat FIGS. 2 and 5. In such position, the by-pass passage 18 is open, asseen in FIG. 2, and the heat-treated passages 19 are closed by thedampers. Upon rotating the drive rod 50 in a clockwise direction fromthe fuel line position of FIGS. 2 and 5 to the dot-dash position of FIG.5, set-screw 66 will contact an edge of arm 52 to positively stoprotation of said arm. In such position, the by-pass passage will beclosed and the heat treated passages will be opened by the dampers. Saidcrank 51 may have a wider hub 51a, as shown in FIG. 6. The setscrews 66,68 may be adjusted to get accurate stoppage of crank 51, to prevent-over-movement of the cranks 28h, 29h, 30b, 3111, thereby preventingdamage to the dampers.

It will be observed that the drive shaft 50 extends the full length ofthe unit to give it good bearing stability. No dampers are attached tothe drive shaft. It is independent except for the crank 51 which iswelded to it. It is this crank 51 which is connected to the control barswhich drive all the damper rods.

Usually a 50 rotation is allowed, although this angle can be varied. Bythe proper adjustment of the setscrews 66, 68, the 50 rotary motion canbe accurately limited. When the drive shaft 50 has travelled its 50 ineither direction, it hits a solid, pre-set stop (set-screws 66 or 68),thus limiting any over-travel which in turn prevents damper damage.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the conditions of prac- ,tical use. Any possibleembodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changesmight be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understoodthat all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings,is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. i 4 A'i i A I claim:

1. In combination, a bracket comprising a flat plate, a lug integralwith said plate and extending therefrom, said plate being formed with athrough opening, a shaft journalled in said opening, a crank xed to saidshaft, an eX- tenison on said crank, said lug being formed with a pairof angularly disposed connected wings formed with threaded openings,set-screws threaded through said openings and one of said set-screwsbeing positioned to contact said crank upon rotating said shaft in onedirection and the other of said set-screws being positioned t-o contactsaid extension of said crank upon rotating said shaft in an oppositedirection, said set-'screws forming an acute angle therebetween, andsaid shaft being located within said angle.

2. The combination of claim 1, the axes of said threaded openings lyingin a common plane, and being co-planar with said crank and itsextension.

3. In a gas supply unit, in combination, a casing having passagestherethrough, each passage having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality ofdampers in the casing to control passage of gas through said passagesfrom the inlets to the outlets thereof, means to pivotally andnonslidably mount said dampers on parallel axes in a cornmon plane,parallel crank arms fixed to rotate with said dampers about saidparallel axes, a connector bar, means to pivotally and non-slidablyconnect said crank arms to said bar about parallel axes in a commonplane, a bracket comprising a plate fixed to said casing, a drive shaftparallel to said axes, and journalled in a bearing opening formed insaid plate, a control arm parallel to said crank arms, mounted forrotation with said drive shaft, means to pivotally connect said controlarm to said connector bar, said plate being provided with an integrallug having a pair of connected wing portions forming an obtuse angletherebetween, divergent set-screws screwed to said wing portions, andforming an acute angle therebetween, and said control arm being providedwith an integral extension adapted to contact one of said set-screws.upon rotating said control arm in one direction, and said control armbeing adapted to contact the other set-screw upon rotating said controlarm in an opposite direction, said bearing opening for said drive shaftbeing located Within said acute angle.

4. The combination of claim 3, said setscrews being located in the planeof said control arm and extension thereof.

5. The combination of claim 3, and lock nuts on said set-screws adaptedto contact said wings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,014,679 1/1912Von Wagner 98-110 X 1,016,064 1/1912 Broeke 251-285 1,931,419 10/1933Thrush 251-285 X 2,514,431 7/1950 West 251-288 X 3,107,724 10/1963 Hornet al 98-38 X FOREIGN PATENTS 171,946 12/1921 Great Britain.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner, D. LAMBERT, Assistant EJamn'er,

3. IN A GAS SUPPLY UNIT, IN COMBINATION, A CASING HAVING PASSAGESTHERETHROUGH, EACH PASSAGE HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, A PLURALITY OFDAMPERS IN THE CASING TO CONTROL PASSAGE OF GAS THROUGH SAID PASSAGESFROM THE INLETS TO THE OUTLETS THEREOF, MEANS TO PIVOTALLY ANDNONSLIDABLY MOUNT SAID DAMPERS ON PARALLEL AXES IN A COMMON PLANE,PARALLEL CRANK ARMS FIXED TO ROTATE WITH SAID DAMPERS ABOUT SAIDPARALLEL AXES, A CONNECTOR BAR, MEANS TO PIVOTALLY AND NON-SLIDABLYCONNECT SAID CRANK ARMS TO SAID BAR ABOUT PARALLEL AXES IN A COMMONPLANE, A BRACKET COMPRISING A PLATE FIXED TO SAID CASING, A DRIVE SHAFTPARALLEL TO SAID AXES, AND JOURNALLED IN A BEARING OPENING FORMED INSAID PLATE, A CONTROL ARM PARALLEL TO SAID CRANK ARMS, MOUNTED FORROTATION WITH SAID DRIVE SHAFT, MEANS TO PIVOTALLY CONNECT SAID CONTROLARM TO SAID CONNECTOR BAR, SAID PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INTEGRALLUG HAVING A PAIR OF CONNECTED WING PORTIONS FORMING AN OBTUSE ANGLETHEREBETWEEN, DIVERGENT SET-SCREWS SCREWED TO SAID WING PORTIONS, ANDFORMING AN ACUTE ANGLE THEREBETWEEN, AND SAID CONTROL ARM BEING PROVIDEDWITH AN INTEGRAL EXTENSION ADAPTED TO CONTACT ONE OF SAID SET-SCREWSUPON ROTATING SAID CONTROL ARM IN ONE DIRECTION, AND SAID CONTROL ARMBEING ADAPTED TO CONTACT THE OTHER SET-SCREW UPON ROTATING SAID CONTROLARM IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SAID BEARING OPENING FOR SAID DRIVE SHAFTBEING LOCATED WITHIN SAID ACUTE ANGLE.